Remote control relay switch



1957 J. ODEGAARD 2,802,917

REMOTE CONTROL RELAY SWITCH Filed July 6, 1954 IN V EN TOR. JJA f/Vyaw/Z4527 BY Unitcd States Patent REMOTE CONTROL RELAY SWITCH JohnOdegaard, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,240

1 Claim. (Cl. 200-87 This invention relates to electric relay switcheswhich are remotely controlled.

In burglar alarm systems, for example, it is highly desirable to providean arrangement which will set off a continuous alarm signal upontheoccurrence of a momentary actuation. In conventional designs, whereinthe actuating switch is in series with the power source and the alarmdevice, opening of the actuating switch will discontinue the alarmsignal. As an illustration, a trespasser entering through a door or awindow can, after hearing the alarm, disconnect the actuating switch,thereby stopping the signal.

In other conventional systems, wherein parallel circuits to a singlesource of power are utilized, excessive wiring arrangements arerequired, decreasing the ease of concealment.

In the instant arrangement, by providing separate circuits, eachenergized by independent power sources, for the actuating switch and forthe alarm itself, the above noted problems are avoided.

It is a further practical requirement that the relay switch controllingthe circuit containing the alarm device be automatically contactmaintaining until manually reset. If this relay switch does not maintainsuch contact tightly, the resulting signal will be discontinuous uponthe occurrence of stray vibrations. The usage of such means as springbiased levers will result in such discontinuity. Moreover, it isfundamental that the means used to maintain contact after actuationshould not be subject to deterioration, since such deterioration wouldprobably go unnoticed.

Consequently, it is the general inventive object to provide a relayswitch for a circuit controlling an alarm signal or the like, whereinthe relay switch is remotely actuated by a primary switch powered by anindependent source of power, the said relay switch, once actuated,tightly maintaining contact until manually reset.

Another object of this invention is the provision of two circuits havingindependent sources of power, wherein the first circuit contains amanually actuated switch in series with a solenoid means for actuating arelay switch which in turn closes the second circuit containing inseries an alarm signal until the relay switch is manually reopened.

Another more specific object of this invention involves the provision ofa relay switch which is normally biased to the open position and closedby means of a solenoid actuating a lever, said closure being forciblymaintained by additional magnetic means.

Further objects and inventive details will become apparent from thefollowing description in conjunction with the attached drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the relay switch.

Figure 2 shows a section taken through plane 2-2 with the switch open.

Figure 3 shows the same sectional view with the switch closed.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the switch with the cover removed,illustrating the wiring arrangement.

Figure 5 shows a section through a modification of the switch.

Figure 6 is a schematic wiring diagram including the various operativeelements in perspective.

Referring to Figure 1, the relay switch 10 is seen to comprise theplastic base 11 formed with the pedestal 12 in which is press-fitted thesolenoid 13. Located on the opposite end of base 11 are the uprightsupports 14 for the fulcrum 15, upon which the hollow plastic tubularlever 16 is pivoted by means of the depending arms 17 (Figure 2). A stop18 is threadedly connected to the base 11 adjacent the closed end 19 ofthe lever 16 to limit the rotation of the lever 19 when the steel ball20 is between the stop 18 and the fulcrum 15. Solenoid 13 is centrallybored to receive the magnetic prongs 21 hooked to the hanger arm 22 fromwhich is suspended the prongs 21 by means of the eye 23 passing throughthe hole 24. Adjacent the pedestal 12 there is provided a removablepermanent magnet 25 in alignment with the aperture 26 of the lever 16,whereby the contact can be had between the ball and the magnet 25 whenthe ball is in contact with the wall 27 of the pedestal 12. It is to benoted that the wall 27 and the magnet 25 dually prevent the ball fromleaving the tube, and the aperture 26 is of the proper dimension toensure contact between the lever and the ball when the ball iscontacting the magnet 25, as better seen in Figure 3. Referring again toFigure 3 it is apparent that no contact is had between the prongs 21 andthe solenoid, excepting at the junction of the outer surface 28 and thebore which contacts the eye 23, thereby aiding in arresting the leverpivoting action.

The switch assembly is completely enclosed by the plastic housing 29which further incorporates a lever spring 30 fixed to the upper side 31of the housing 29. The lever spring 30 is actuated by the manual resetbutton 32 fitted slidably through the hole 33 through the side 31.

The wiring can be better seen in Figure 4 wherein the lever 16 hasattached on the under side 34 the terminal 35 with the contact point 36and receives current through the wire 37 connected through the bracket38 with the line wire 39. The other end of the circuit receives currentthrough the line wire 40 by means of the plate terminal 41 provided withthe contact point 42 for coaction with the point 36.

Referring now to Figure 6, it is seen that lines 39 and 40 connect thealarm device 43 and the outlet plug 44 in series with the relay switch10.

Consequently, when the plug 44 is connected to a source of power,current will be available to operate the alarm device 43 when the relayswitch has been closed.

The solenoid 13 is energized via the lead wires 45 and 46, which arefastened to the brackets 47 and 48 attached to the base 11. Lead wire 45is connected to the battery 49 and lead wire 46 is connected to thecontrol switch 50, which in turn has a lead wire 51 connected to theother terminal of the battery 49, whereby the switch 50 and the solenoidare in series with the source of power battery 49. Thus, when the switch50 is closed, as by movement of the door 52 against the lever 53, thesolenoid 13 becomes energized, creating a magentic pull upon the prongs21. As a result, the arm 22 is urged towards the solenoid allowing thegravity to roll the ball 20 towards the wall 27. When the ball is incontact with the wall 21, the magnet 25 further urges the ball downwardto increase the pressure of the ball upon the rim of the aperture 26,resulting in the lever 16 being firmly retained in the position shown inFigure 3. When so retained, the contact point 36 abuts contact point 42,completing the alarm device circuit which will sound a warning signal.

Referring to Figure 5, a modified form of relay switch 54 is shown,wherein all the elements described in connection with relay switch areidentical with one exception. The exception comprises the omission ofthe supplementary holding device, magnet 25. The operation of switch 54is obviously similar to thatv of switch 10, the effect of the omissionof magnet 25 being merely'areductionof retaining pressure by the ballagainst the tubular lever 16.

' The lever 16 remains in the closed position of Figure 3, until resetto the circuit open position by pressing the button 32. Thus, the alarmdevice 43 will give a continuous signal, until the reset button 32 ismanually actuated.. Figure 2 shows the switch 10 in the open circuitposition ready for the next subsequent actuation by the tripping ofswitch 50.

:It is obvious that the above arrangement dispenses with unnecessarywiring and provides a signal which is inde-' pendent of the controlswitch 50, once the signal has started. Because of thecompact nature ofthe relay switch, concealment is simplified. Moreover, theballlever-magnetic combination described, maintains a firm unyieldingalarm circuit closure. 'It is also quite apparent that the discloseddesign reduces fabrication costs.

Although the disclosed relay switch is the preferred form, in thecircuit diagram of Figure 6 a conventional mercury switch can besubstituted to give a practical working arrangement (not shown). Theillustration of the switch and circuits in connection with a burglaralarm environment should not be construed as a limiting condition.Obviously, other devices (not shown) than the alarm device 43 can beincorporated.

It should also be further noted that the species resulting fromvariations in disclosed combinative elements, omissions of combinativeelements and/or changes in size, shape, and/ or material, should all beregarded as falling within the contemplated inventive scope.

Having thus disclosed the nature of this invention, what is now claimedas new is as follows:

A relay switch comprising a base, a lever pivoted to 4 said base, ahousing, and said base being disposed in said housing, one end of saidlever being biased to its open position, said lever including anelectric terminal having an exposed contact point and said base having asecond electric terminal with a contact point disposed oppositely ofsaid first contact point, a solenoid, and a magnetic member secured tothe other end of said lever cooperating with the solenoid and a resetbutton projecting through that housing and adapted to reverse thecircuit closing position of that lever to its open position, in whichthe said lever comprises a hollow tube and which includes means forfirmly retaining the closed circuit position of said lever, in which thesaid retaining means comprises a ball of magneticmaterial moving fromone end of that lever to its other end upon operation of said solenoid,and which includes a permanent magnet secured to said base cooperablewith said ball to releasably hold said lever in the circuit closingposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS528,589 Brownell Nov. 6, 1894 561,422 Minnis June 2, 1896 690,651Hauxhurst Jan. 7, 1902 754,391 Robinson Mar. 8, 1904 783,014 Booth Feb.21, 1905 917,760 Hart Apr. 13, 1909 936,648 Marshall Oct. 12, 1909959,371 Miller May 24, 1910 988,093 Hart Mar. 28, 1911 1,058,570Fagerlund Apr. 8, 1913 1,379,242 Beck May 24, 1921 1,645,019 OppermanOct. 11, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 238,151 Great Britain Aug. 13, 1925v

